[deighter]

Have a 2006 non-turbo that has been trouble-free for 38,000 miles. But now, every couple of weeks, very intermittent, it surges and bucks. Turn the engine off, restart and it is fine.
Yesterday had it checked: P0340 code; bad cam position sensor.
Can anyone advise: if the sensor was bad, wouldn't it be 'bad' all the time? Does this problem look more like a loose wire or a short in the connector, rather than a problem with the sensor itself? If I replace the sensor, shouldnt I replace the connecting wire also? Also, isn't 38,000 miles a bit short of expected life? SHouldn't this sensor last for 50-60 thousand miles?
Thanks for any help anyone can provide!